Photography is a waiting game. A physically demanding waiting game too. Standing in one place, essentially sitting on a scene, waiting for magic light, or waiting for an animal to appear, makes your body stiffen up and leaves plenty of room for your mind to create doubt. In the Great Bear Rainforest, on the coast of British Columbia, I stood at the edge of a river in the … [Read more...]
What is the Best Focal Length Lens for Bird Photography?
Last winter I returned to one of my all time favourite bird photography destinations: Cibola National Wildlife Refuge which is on the border between California and Arizona. During my first visit to Cibola the previous year, I discovered some problems with my wildlife photography gear, which resulted in my not getting any long lens photos. Bummer! That was one reason why … [Read more...]
Learning to Clam – Grizzly Bear Cubs in Khutzeymateen British Columbia
Each of my days with the grizzly bears in Khutzeymateen Provincial Park, British Columbia, was unique. Each day held its own mysteries and revealed its own surprises. On board the zodiac in the early morning hours, we puttered up to a spot where a creek comes out to the inlet, and discovered a mom with her three cubs! They were just hanging around eating grass as … [Read more...]
Photographing Roosevelt Elk at Elk Country, California
As we make our snowbird trips down south in the fall and back north again in the spring, there is a special place that we always pass on the Oregon coast that has quickly become one of my favourite camping and photography spots of all time. Elk Country. Near Redwoods National and State Parks, on Highway 101, the campground and surrounding area is home to 7 herds of Roosevelt … [Read more...]
Grizzly Bear Photography in Khutzeymateen British Columbia – Part 2
After experiencing the sheer magic of Day 1 photographing grizzly bears in Khutzeymateen, British Columbia, anything I got after that was icing on the cake. I captured more astonishing moments on Day 1 than I dared to dream of! So when we set out on the second day I had a feeling of calm joyfulness knowing that I had already achieved my goals and I could just relax into the … [Read more...]
Top 10 Wildlife Photos of 2017
Last week I shared with you my Top 10 Landscape Photos of 2017. But only half of my work is landscapes. I love wildlife photography too. I do most of my wildlife photography during my summers in British Columbia where I spend most of my time in Campbell River on Vancouver Island. We have a fantastic spot on the estuary there where I can watch the birds come and go. Then I … [Read more...]
Grizzly Bear Photography in Khutzeymateen British Columbia – Part 1
"Hello Bear," I said. He looked up. "I see you," I said. And he saw me. I felt him look into my eyes. Not scared, not worried, not concerned, just curious. The same way I felt. The words “I see you” echoed back. Then... he simply looked away and went back to eating grass. How often do these simple but profound things happen in life? Not so often that a person doesn't … [Read more...]
Reasons to Love Vancouver Island in Summer: #4 Dolphins
Are you noticing a trend here? Yes, I love my wildlife photography in summer here in British Columbia. My favourite thing to do is go out in my little boat Snoopy and photograph the marine wildlife, should they choose to visit me. You can't just chase them down. Usually I'll see them off in the distance and go towards the general vicinity, cut the motor, and watch from … [Read more...]